It was a week before the family left for Pittsburg to see Matthew.
Emily was on a USA swim team for Colorado. She had been practicing for months for her first official meet. She was very nervous.
"Emily, maybe you should eat something before practice. You need something in that little body of yours." Danny says scrambling eggs.
"I will throw up if I eat daddy!"
"Okay, well at least eat an apple or orange. I won't let you leave until you eat."
"Fine." Emily smiles and reaches over for a mini apple.
"Good morning everyone." Jessica says walking into the kitchen.
Danny gives her a kiss than she walks over and gives the kids a kiss.
"Em, why is your baiting suit on?" Jessica says with a funny face.
"I have Saturday morning practice, remember?" Emily says with a giggle.
"Oh! That's right! I have to take you, Danny you are taking Brandon to baseball right?"
"Yes, are you sure you can take her?" Danny says
"Yea, I can. Just a late start. I will go change."
On the way over to swim Emily went through the IM set, speaking to herself.
"Fly, Back, Breast, Free." She said softly.
At the red light Jessica turned around and gave her a smile.
"What are you saying?" Jessica says with a smile.
"The IM set. If I memorize the order and swim well today I can swim it at my meet on Monday."
"Oh, nice. What's the order?"
"Fly, back, breast, free. No turns. Touches and goes only."
"Very good. You will do great on Monday. Are you excited?"
"No, I am scared.
All the big kids are scary. I don't want to do it anymore."
"What do you mean you don't want to do it anymore? You are an amazing swimmer!"
"But I am so bad. All the big girls are better. I hate being the youngest!"
"Aw, honey. But in a year or two there will be kids younger than you, and you will have improved so much. It's only your first year."
"I wish I could be good at sports like Matthew and Brandon." Emily pouts.
"Honey, they have been doing baseball and football since they were your age. They get better the more they practice and get older. But you are already so well, it's like swimming comes naturally to you!
You can't doubt yourself Em. You just need to give it time. Before you know it you will be the best on the team."
"You think?"
"I know." Jessica smiles
"Thanks..."
**
It was the day of Emily's meet. Danny, Jessica, and Brandon sat up a spot in the grass by all of the other families. Since it was a USA meet it would last all day. All of the swimmers had little tents that they stayed under during the Different events. Jessica packed different fruits and sandwiches for the kids. Emily was very quite and didn't speak much. Danny tried to talk to her but she wouldn't say much. Sarah and her kids, Zoe, Dorthy, and Emily's cousins came to watch.
Before the meet the meet the coach came up to
Jessica and pulled her aside.
"Hi, is everything okay?" Jessica says with a concerned tone.
"Well, Emily is out of the water. I think she is a little nervous. Maybe you should talk to her." The coach brings Jessica to the pool.
"Oh no."
"You know, Emily is such an amazing swimmer. She is so dedicated. I really hope she sticks with swim. I could see her getting very far with swim." The coach said as he takes Jessica to Emily.
"Hey, Emily. What's going on honey?" Jessica pulls her aside and bends down.
"I don't want to swim." Emily says with a tear in her eye.
"No, don't say that honey! It's your first USA meet. You can't back down."
"Look at all those big kids. I will lose."
"You aren't swimming against the big kids. You are swimming against the little kids your age.
Besides, in swim you swim for yourself to beat your own times. You swim against yourself to get better. It's not about losing or winning. That doesn't matter.
Now, get back in that pool and show everyone how much of a little fish you are!" Jessica hugs Emily and puts her goggles back on.
"Thanks mommy." Emily hugs her again than dives back into the pool.
The coach walks back over.
"Thanks, I would hate to see her not swim."
"No problem. She has been nervous for a while. She just needed a little push."
**
Throughout the day Emily watched other girls swim and cheered for her team until it was her event.
Event 43 Heat 1 of 1 youth girls 100 IM.
The loud speaker said as Emily stepped up onto the block. Danny stood next to Emily getting ready to cheer her on while Jessica and Brandon were at the other end of the pool.
Swimmers,
Take your mark.... *beep*
Emily had a perfect dive off. She started her butterfly. When she got to the other end Brandon and Jessica clapped.
"Kick Em! Kick!" Brandon said
Emily finished first place in her event.
When she got out of he pool Danny wrapped her up in the Towel and gave her a hug. Jessica and Brandon ran over to her and gave her a hug.
"Good job little sis!" Brandon says giving her a hug.
"We are so proud of you! Our little fish!" Danny says picking her up.
The coach runs over and gives Emily a high five.
"Great job kiddo. You won your heat!"
Emily smiled
"I wish Matthew could see."
"He can, I just sent him a video!"
**
After the meet they took Emily to her favorite pizza shop.
When they were sitting down Matthew had called Jessica. Jessica handed the phone to Emily.
"Matthew, guess what!" She says
"What's up Em?"
"I got my first medal!"
"Wow! Congrats to you! That's amazing!"
"I am so happy! I wish you were here."
"Me too. But mom sent me a video. It looked amazing."
"How is football? I can't wait to see you next weekend."
"It's hard. And I will see you guys soon.
I have to go, tell everyone I said hi."
"How is he?"
"He didn't tell me. He hung up." Emily said
"I bet he was busy." Danny says patting her back.
Jessica looks at Danny.
He mouths to her- "it's okay."
